The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-12-25
THE ARCaITHCTURAB LEAGUE ExHE-
BITTOM

ubb uelu independently VI buy OtuoT bOCietys
The managers have tried. therefore. to max
The two largest rooms OF the 0rtgies gal
lery on the Fifth avenue are devoted to archi-
tects' drawings and representations Of historic
buildings. while the third is filled with stuffs
and carvings, with pictures and sculptured re-
liefs. Almost all OF these are appropriately in
place, As designed with reference to archt-
~tectural surroundings. and tho few OF which
this cannot be said are intrinsically 80 attract
i've hat no one will csvil at their presence.
Mr.. st. Gaudens and Mr.. La Fargo divide
the honors OF the third room between them.
Mr.. st. Gaudens's relief OF two children and a
dog was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum
two years ago. but can hardly be seen too often.
while his full-length Of DR.. Bellows will be new
to most people. as the bronze hangs In the
Unitarian church on the Fourth avenue. 1t is
needless to praise It, and as needless to praise
Mr.. La Farge's Incompatible water colors.
some showing Japanese buildings and land
scapes. others being designs for works In
stained glass already executed. and others
sketches for the great picture Of the Assem-
sion upon which he is now engaged. II
this picture turns out as well as the
sketches promise. the congregation Of the
Church OF the Ascension will own the
most beautiful as well as most ambitious paint
ing an American han has yet created. II the
hand Of some old master had signed Mr.. La
Farge's sketches, there Is little that exists in
art which would be priced above them. Look,
for instance. at the lovely study OF a flying
angel In pale green robes: whore can we find
more perfect color. greater purity, depth. and
individuality OF feeling2 It is o comfort to
think that some day Mr.. La Fargo will DO al
old master in his turn. and that the public will
then appreciate him as only a few do to-
day. Mr.. Blashield's studies from ancient
buildings in Italy and Greece have entire
truth to facts and much strength in exc
cution to recommend them. Mr.. John
%Johnston's little water-color copies after Tin
toretto reproduce both the effect and the feel
ing OF their originals in q quite remarkable way.
Mr.. Pointers design for Q frieze on Q piano is
interesting, but does not show the originality
which marks the best American works around
It. A study by Baudry is more impressive, but
on the other hand, tho decorative work Of the
French painter Galland has q strikingly crude
and repellant effect. Nothing could be moro
entirely unconnected with architecture than
Mr.. Albert Ryder's little poems in color. but
they are welcome for their own sake, as arc
Mr.. Lows original drawings for his "Odes and
Sonnets Of Keats" In general, these drawings
show Mr.. Lows talent to even better advantage
than the published reproductions, but they also
reveal with greater distinctness the singular
slips he sometimes makes. 1t is difficult to be-
lieve that the same man who drew the best Of
them also drew tho worst-the amateurish
little figure with the impossible hands which
serves as a tail piece to the book.
Turning to tho architectural exhibition
proper, 1t seems. in certain points. inferior in
interest to last seasons. 1t was too much to
kl-& 49,, loo -ri- 1,,l 1-.-..a L.
interest with those for Richardson's une1e-
cuted cathedral. which were then exhibited.
But 1t was natural to hope for some more Of
Mr.. Stanford Whites delightful little water
colors. and OF the brilliant drawings and beau
tiful water colors which Mr.. Mead Of Boston
and Mr.. Blackall produced literally by the hun
dred while they were travelling abroad as hold
ers OF Rotch travelling scholarships. Judged
for exquisite draughtsmanship Of q purely
architectural sort, the best thing in the current
exhibition Is Mr.. Bacon's sheet OF Turkish Or
namental details. Blu our younger architects
as o whole show q remarkable ability in this
direction. and in presenting their own work
they reveal q growing mastery over tho art
of design as we'll as tho art Of conveying de-
signs. The country houses Of Mr.. George NJ.
Huss are especially charming. and the moro
difficult task OF composing lofty city buildings
has found many hands to deal well with 1t. The
Montreal building for the New York Life In
surance Company OF Messrs. Babb. Cook l.
Willard is a striking success in this direction,
and many observers will prefer the design
submitted by these artists in competition for a
similar structure in Kansas City to that by
Messrs. McKim. Mead & White. which the own
ers selected. The latter is extremely good in
many parts, but the portion OF the front which
has been recessed between far projecting
wings In the wish for adequate lighting Is so
narrow that tho composition has a somewhat
cramped and il-proportioned air. Messrs.
McKim. Mead Il Whites design for the new
Madison Square Garden will be Of more vital
interest to New Yorkers. The tower promises
to be a superb feature. but one awaits its exc
cution to decide whether it will be adequately
supported by the low and rather poor-looking
mass OF the main building. Mr.. Bruce Prices
two designs for a large railroad station have
each points Of interest. but it is amusing to see
how much too large for the structure the tower
is in the one, how much too small In the other.
A series of very large and effective drawings
by Mr.. Robert Blum represent the immense
Hotel Ponce de Leon. which Messrs. Carrere
Il Hastings have just built at st. Augustine.
With its walls Of white plaster and red brick.
Its tiled roof and semi Moorish decoration, and
the varied distribution OF Its masses. it is emil
nently picturesque. and doubtless is well adapt
ed to its surroundings. while a nearer examina-
ton OF the plan seems to prove 1t admirably
adapted to its purpose. Certainly. American
architecture Is not running in a narrow rut.
despite the evident preponderance Of q love for
Romanesque forms. Nothing could be moro
unlike these designs than the big city build
ings already cited, and nothing moro unlike
both than Messrs. McKim Mead & Whites
exquisitely perfect little library building In the
purest Neo-Greo style.
Mr.. Richard M. Hunt, as the guest of honor
ut the reception which opened the exhibition.
was asked to send some of his drawings. and
by a peculiarly graceful act chose some which
he had executed while himself as young as his
hosts OF to-day. They include studies for
that portion Of the Louvre In Paris upon which
he worked under Lefusl, and certain essays
made in the Ecole des BeauI Arts. and have
great intrinsic as we'll as historic interest. Near
them hang a group Of drawings by Turner and
Ruskin-one Of the latter being a beautiful
color study from 81. Marks In Venice-and at
the other end Of the room are q quantity OF Mr..